Elon Musk: New York to D.C. in 29 minutes — underground

Even as Tesla readies for its vital Model 3 release, CEO Elon Musk has homed in on another project: a massive hyperloop tunnel connecting New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C.

The mercurial tech CEO announced on social media Thursday he received verbal government approval to build underground transport along the country’s most densely populated corridor. Musk touted a New York to D.C. route could take 29 minutes — faster than a pizza delivery.

But a handshake agreement means little when running the gamut of permits from federal, state and local agencies.

Still a lot of work needed to receive formal approval, but am optimistic that will occur rapidly

Musk established the Boring Co. to dig tunnels through Los Angeles congestion, which entraps Musk, his SpaceX employees and other Angelinos at all times. It’s Musk’s effort to establish a 3-D solution to traffic, and reduce costs by shrinking the diameter of tunnels and building them faster.

But where will the tunnels go, exactly? The routes would transport commuters to the city center, with up to a dozen stops and elevators in each city, Musk said.

“Right now, I think one of the most soul-destroying things is traffic,” Musk told an audience at a recent TED Talk. “It takes away so much of your life. It’s horrible. It’s particularly horrible in L.A.”

Digging along the corridor means passage through at least four states — that means four governors, state legislatures, multiple mayors, town boards and endless community groups. And don’t forget New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, at least for now, who’s demonstrated a truculence toward commuters in the past.

Musk acknowledged support would be “much appreciated.” His tweetstorm Thursday morning sketched out a construction schedule: the first set of tunnels in L.A., the East Coast corridor at the same time, then a line from L.A to San Francisco and a Texas loop.

Until then, Bay Area commuters might just abide idling, above ground and in their cars, in the still life that is the local commute.

Photo: Sections of a tunnel boring machine are being worked on in a parking lot along Crenshaw Boulevard across the street from SpaceX in Hawthorne on April 27, 2017. (Scott Varley, Daily Breeze/SCNG)